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Fears for Qld pineapple jobs
15 Aug 2003
Brisbane federal parliamentarian Wayne Swan says that thousands of jobs are threatened by proposals to change quarantine regulations for fresh pineapples imported from Asia and the Pacific. BioSecurity Australia has proposed changing the policy requiring countries exporting pineapples to fumigate the fruit before shipment to Australia; fumigation may now be performed after the fruit has arrived in Australia. The agency said the new measures will still ensure that any pest risks related to fresh pineapples will be lessened in the same way as offshore treatment.
Mr Swan said onshore fumigation has been rejected by a risk assessment panel and such a measure would increase the risk of locally grown pineapples being infected with exotic diseases. This would jeopardise the jobs of 1,600 Golden Circle employees as well as 1,000 farmers associated with the cannery, and many small businesses.
The Courier-Mail, 15/8/03, page 8.
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